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A brand new E-System DSLR poised to replace the E-3 will be officially announced on September 14 2010, which means Photokina time this year. The in-house project code for this camera is E-D1. There will be some significant technological statements made by this camera. The expected cost of this camera will be similar to when the E-3 was first launched. If you look back to those days (August 2007), you will find out what the expected price is in your own country. I cannot reveal anymore than what you now know. As for the demise of the E-System, the competition won't be happy to hear that this will continue alongside the Micro FourThirds Pen-series. As to whether both systems will merge, yes, it will very soon do that. For those who talk about a professional Micro FourThirds, it is on the cards but whether or not there is a market demand that will justify Olympus releasing it is another matter altogether. Sure, a Micro FourThirds Pen model with a built-in EVF as well as professional-type features will find its way into the market. In fact I believe that if Olympus can get their act together for 2010, you could see this as a finished product and in black. Otherwise expect it sometime early Q1 2011. Make sure you realise that I'm saying: professional-type does not mean professional-class camera. It just has similar features but it will not be built like, say, the E-3.
We know that our Pen lenses presently are on the optically slow side. There are plans to introduce the kind of lenses that serious users are looking for. The idea here is to first 'embed' the system, give it a chance to take off in the market, introduce it to the greater mass public and to try to appeal to them. Faster lenses are always possible and in time we will begin to bring them on. There are also other 'factors' why faster lenses are not out yet but it's not possible to talk about them here.
Summary 1: E-System will not discontinue.
Summary 2: Micro FourThirds Pen-series will not replace E-System
Summary 3: E-System will eventually go mirror-less
Summary 4: New replacement for E-3 will be announced this Photokina

It's not surprising that Olympus has a penchant for attracting a greater degree of controversy than its competitors. When you decide to be an innovator or just to be different from others, you're bound to have to deal with a larger proportion of critics in the market. I've been associated with Olympus for more than 30 years now and in that period of time, I've not seen things being different.

Right now the most difficult challenge for Olympus is what best they must do not to drop the ball. Micro FourThirds has been an astonishing ride for the company; certainly far more so than we thought. Sure, Olympus knows they were on to a good thing but none of us had expected the market to react so positively. We're now at crossroads as to how the union of Micro FourThirds and (Classic) FourThirds should go about, how best to introduce mirrorless, how to mix and blend the old with the new lenses and so much more.

At Olympus the number of pixels in the sensors we use is passé stuff. Beyond a certain point, it's not as important as some other competitors make it out to be. We're focusing on the kinds of issues that we know we need to address and we need to do all these without affecting our strong points. So there's a lot more to do yet, a lot more life to FourThirds than some believe and certainly a whole lot more action to expect.

While it's not likely that we would unsettle our traditional rivals; we have also come to understand that it's far better for us to concentrate on our own game than to worry about what our neighbours do. Let the Joneses be Joneses; it suits them and frankly it also suits us.

For us, maximising our own game and playing to our potential is far more important to our customers.

So gentlemen, continue to enjoy your Olympus FourThirds (and Micro FourThirds) equipment. Know that you're special because of your choice!

There are lots of rumours about a replacement for the E3 and Olympus have issued a statement suggesting their continued support for 4/3 along side m4/3:

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As the company responsible for initiating both the Four Thirds System and Micro Four Thirds System standards, Olympus Imaging Corporation will continue to develop and enhance the product lineup for both standards to meet the diverse needs of our customers.